Bird injured as Sharks topple Eels

A late penalty goal to Luke Covell has seen the Cronulla Sharks beat the Parramatta Eels 16-14 in a thrilling game today at Toyota Park.

Right from the opening whistle the Cronulla defence was in the faces of the Parramatta attack and on many occassions it forced them into some poor decisions especially with their last tackle options. With a gale wind at the back of the Eels in the first half they failed to really capitalise on the advantage letting the home side come off their line with some soft penalties.

It was Parramatta though who opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a try out wide to Taulima Tautai. After a penalty goal to Luke Burt in the 12th minute Parramatta had a lead of 8-0.

A string of penalties to the Cronulla side lead to Issac De Gois finding the line to bring the scoreline back to 8-6 in favour of the Eels.

Disaster struck Greg Bird in the 29th minute falling awkardly on his left knee as he went for the tryline. He was helped from the field and whisked away on the medicab. With Bird almost a guaranteed selection for Origin III, selectors have to wait and find out the severity of his injury.

The second half scoring opened with a penalty goal a-piece to Luke Covell and Luke Burt. Video Ref Bill Harrigan awarded Luke Douglas a try in the 57th minute after Brett Seymour stripped the ball from Tony Williams. With the easy conversion the Sharks had a 14-10 lead.

Tony Williams then made up for his dropped ball by finishing a Parramatta raid on the left side. Luke Burt's conversion attempt dropped short and it looked as though golden point could be a possibility.

The game came to an end when Fuifui Moimoi came into contact with Brett Kimmorley after trying to charge a kick down and was penalised.

With the kick in front of the sticks it was a mere formality for Luke Covell.

Paul Gallen cemented his spot in the NSW side with a workhorse effort making 23 hitups and 32 tackles. Brett Kimmorley was also dominant for the home side.

LeagueUnlimited.com Live CommentaryGood afternoon and a warm welcome to League Unlimited's live updates of the clash between the Cronulla Sharks and the Parramatta Eels from Toyota Park.

The home side are looking to enter the top four with a win today, the Sharkies have won alot of close games this year and I have a feeling we are in for a close contest today.
Parramatta come into this game with plenty of confidence after impressive wins over Canberra and Wests with Feliti Mateo starring in both. Both teams have prominent offloaders so hopefully we get to see some free flowing open footy today.

History between the sides sees Cronulla narrowly ahead with 35 wins to Parra's 33.

Sun is picture perfect at the ground and the surface is dry.

We have a few changes to the sides, for the Sharks Terence Seuseu drops off their extended bench and for Parramatta Josh Cordoba will start with Fuifui Moimoi going back to the bench. Junior Paulo falls off the 5 man bench.

We have a minutes silence for Jane McGrath.
We are underway with the Eels kicking off...

2 min: Early PENALTY to the Eels for being inside the 10 off Kimmorleys kick. Ball on halfway for Parra.

2 min: Big hit on Cordoba and he loses the ball! Abit of a scuffle after the tackle but there was nothing in it.

4 min: Kimmorley hoists a bomb and its well diffused by Finch. Parra will have to work it off their line.

8 min: Sharks are muscling up early and getting the better of field position, its good stuff!

9 min: Ross tries to offload unsuccessfully and Parra have the ball. Kimmorley hangs on too long in the tackle and Parra get a PENALTY to go hot on attack.

10 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
Feliti Mateo busts them up the middle and goes close. They go wide right to Finch he goes though the hands and Taulima Tautai scores in the corner. Good try, Mateo is in great form. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt successful.
Parramatta Eels 6-0

12 min: Piggy Riddell busts them up the middle and runs 50m, great run by the big man.

12 min: PENALTY GOAL Parramatta Eels
Penalty for holding down and its a gift two points for Luke Burt.
Parramatta Eels 8-0

18 min: PENALTY High shot on Cayless and Parra get a piggy back out of their red zone.
Plenty of feeling in this one.

19 min: Covell plucks a Brett Finch out of the air and Cronulla will work it off the line.

20 min: Soft PENALTY for holding down by Cronulla. Gallen has gone in for a word with Hayne.

23 min: Gallen goes for the line and loses it! Ohh no he was in. Sharks have got the PENALTY for inside the 10. Sharks keep the pressure on.

24 min: TRY Cronulla Sharks
Off the back of a second man play Cronulla have them on the rack with Gallen stopped short of the line. Issac De Gois spots the space and scoots from dummy half and scores. Cronulla back in it! Conversion attempt by Luke Covell successful.
Parramatta Eels 8-6

26 min: Another PENALTY for holding down and the Sharks get gifted more field position. Michael Hagan will be a grumpy man at the half.

28 min: It's a nightmare for fullbacks with very windy conditions.

28 min: Seymour puts a bomb across to Covell and he does magnificently to control the ball with his feet. He toes it ahead and Bird picks it up and falls short of the line and loses it. Turnover to Parra.

29 min: INJURY - Its bad news for Greg Bird he has been injured in the play. Ohhhh he screams in pain as he falls. Looks like a hyper extension of the knee. Braith Anasta could be packing his bags for Origin.

31 min: Bird has gone up the tunnell on the medicab.

35 min: Cronulla will get a repeat set here after Inu played at a Kimmorley kick unnecessarily.

37 min: Great defence by the Eels there. The Sharks threw plenty at them!

38 min: Another pestering kick from Kimmorley holds up in the wind and Parra get it on the bounce. When he gets the wind in the second half look out!

A entertaining half of footy put on the by the two sides. The Sharks have been hungry in defence really getting in the faces of the Eels. Greg Bird has gone off injured with his left knee. Parramatta with a healthy breeze at their backs really let the Sharks off the hook with soft penalties deep in the Sharks half and some poor 5th tackle play's. Stats have been very even except for Cronulla having 56% possession to Parra's 44%.
Stay tuned the second half is coming up....
Back underway...

42 min: PENALTY GOAL Cronulla Sharks
A dumb PENALTY on the 5th tackle for a strip. Kids stuff for Covell!
8 all

46 min: PENALTY - Unbelievable passage of play on the 5th with offloads galore. Parramatta penalty for a strip by Covell!! Great stuff!

57 min: TRY Cronulla Sharks
Tony Williams cleans up a kick from Kimmorley ingoal and is pursued by Seymour. Seymour has stripped the ball and Luke Douglas pounces on the scraps for a try! Conversion attempt by Luke Covell successful.
Cronulla Sharks 14-10

59 min: Gallen loses the ball in a tackle, Parra SCRUM.

61 min: Repeat set for the Eels as Mitch Brown is unable to diffuse a bomb. Hot on attack.

61 min: Finch is unable to get to the Wagon offload and turns it over, Sharks ball.

67 min: Kimmorley has put up a ripper of a bomb towards Tony Williams and OOOO its gone through his hands. Parra drop out and more pressure!

68 min: Great D by Finch and Reddy to put Pomeroy into touch on the second. "Sticky" won't be happy with that from his side.

72 min: Feleti busts the Sharks and he's away great tackle to bring him down. They work it left and the bomb goes up and is taken beautifully by Taulapapa!

75 min: Mitch Brown is put a bomb down and Parra are hot on attack. ITS GOIN DOWN TO THE WIRE!!!

76 min: TRY Parramatta Eels
Tony Williams has scored in the corner after some good leadup work from Finch and Inu!! Golden point maybe? Conversion attempt by Luke Burt unsuccessful.
14 all

79 min: Finch has had a drop goal attempt from halfway and it misses!

80 min: PENALTY GOAL Cronulla Sharks
Moimoi hits Kimmorley late after he kicks!! Covell kicks it and the Sharks win!!